Before installing fasteners into concrete ceilings for overhead surfaces, it is usually necessary to first drill holes. Holes are typically drilled using a hand-held power drill. This repetitive overhead drilling places a great deal of physical strain on a worker because not only must the worker support the weight of the drill, but apply upwardly drilling force as well.
To reach the overhead surface, the worker must typically construct scaffolding or ascend a ladder or other elevating device to drill each hole. For taller ceilings, a ladder may not reach or because of obstacles may not be able to be placed directly under the surface to be drilled or close enough to the drilling surface, requiring the worker to dangerously overextend to drill the hole. In addition, standing on a ladder or other elevating device positions the worker in close proximity to the dust and debris associated with the drilling of overhead concrete or other surfaces.
Stands for supporting a drill are known in the art. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,724 (Hurt '724). For height adjustment, the stand taught by Hurt '724 uses a lever pivotally connected at a pivot point to a support collar, which is connected to the lower end of an outer column. An inner column is slidably located within the outer column. A linkage pivotally connects the lever to a locking compression collar and locking clamp. To adjust the height of the drill stand, the worker must unlock the locking clamp and then manually slide, in unison, the locking compression collar and locking clamp, the linkage, the support collar and outer column, and the lever upward or downward on the inner column, all while holding the inner column steady by positioning one of his or her feet on a foot plate. When the desired position is reached, the worker must manually lock the locking clamp.
The height adjustment and locking mechanism taught by Hurt '724 is not desirable because it is cumbersome to use. The worker must use both of his or her hands to move all the necessary components and at least one of his or her feet to steady the drill stand. When the selected height is reached, the worker must remove one of his or her hands from the adjustment and locking mechanism components to lock the locking clamp, while supporting all components with the remaining hand. In addition, drill stand taught by Hurt '724 must be picked up and carried from one drilling location to the next.
It is desirable to have a universal drill stand that is not cumbersome to adjust. Ancillary to that functionality would be a power hand tool saddle coupling and saddle base assembly that would be used with the movable stand for supporting and variably elevating at least one power hand tool proximate to an overhead surface for drilling, nailing or cutting into such surface. Such a saddle coupling is disclosed and claimed in this inventor's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/571,617.
It is further desirable to have a universal drill stand that comprises a spring-loaded trigger actuation subassembly and mechanism for actuation of a battery drill that is mounted within the saddle coupling. If a corded drill is used, it would be desirable to provide a control within a user control structure of the drill stand.
It is also desirable to have a universal drill stand that includes a dust collection subassembly or structure for capturing residue that is created during the drilling process.
It is desirable to have a universal drill stand that does not require manual height adjustment.
It is desirable to have a universal drill stand that does not need to be steadied by the worker's foot when adjusted.
It is further desirable to have a universal drill stand which does not need to be carried between drilling locations.